Titans agree to terms on multi-year deal with LB Fowler

The Tennessee Titans finally may have landed their first outside player in free agency after agreeing to terms with linebacker Ryan Fowler on a four-year contract Monday.

Fowler had signed a four-year offer sheet from Philadelphia on Sunday. But the Titans, who visited with the linebacker last week before he went to Philadelphia, topped that deal Monday, and his agent Alan Herman said Fowler signed the offer sheet.

The Dallas Cowboys will have seven days to match the Titans' offer.

"He's very excited about the potential coming to Nashville," Herman said. "In his mind, he hopes Dallas allows him to move on because he wants to play. If Dallas matches, then they'll keep a good player. The opportunity for Ryan to play any significant amount of time is probably not there."

Herman credited Philadelphia president Joe Banner for his patience in negotiations, keeping both teams up-to-date in the talks. But Titans general manager Mike Reinfeldt wasn't available until late Sunday night to counter the Eagles' four-year offer sheet Fowler had signed.

The Titans wanted Fowler to compete against Stephen Tulloch for their starting middle linebacker job, and they persuaded him to switch.

"He has already proven to be an excellent special teams performer," Reinfeldt said in a statement. "We also like the fact that we are still getting a young NFL player, who has proven some things, but can continue to grow with our team."

If the Cowboys decline to match Tennessee's offer, the Titans would not have to compensate them because Fowler entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

The 6-foot-3, 250-pound Fowler has played in 33 games with three starts, including the 2005 season finale when he had a team-high nine tackles. He led Dallas with 24 special teams tackles last season.

He led Duke in tackles three straight years before joining the Cowboys in 2004.